Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with integrated circuit packages, as an example.
Heretofore, in this field, integrated circuits have been formed on semiconductor wafers. The wafers are separated into individual chips and the individual chips are then handled and packaged. The packaging process is one of the most critical steps in the integrated circuit fabrication process, both from the point of view of cost and of reliability. Specifically, the packaging cost can easily exceed the cost of the integrated circuit chip and the majority of device failures are packaging related.
The integrated circuit must be packaged in a suitable media that will protect it in subsequent manufacturing steps and from the environment of its intended application. Wire bonding and encapsulation are the two main steps in the packaging process. Wire bonding connects the leads from the chip to the terminals of the package. The terminals allow the integrated circuit package to be connected to other components. Following wire bonding, encapsulation is employed to seal the surfaces from moisture and contamination and to protect the wire bonding and other components from corrosion and mechanical shock.
Conventionally, the packaging of integrated circuits has involved attaching an individual chip to a lead frame, where, following wire bonding and encapsulation, designated parts of the lead frame become the terminals of the package. The packaging of integrated circuits has also involved the placement of chips on a flexible board where, following adhesion of the chip to the surface of the flexible board and wire bonding, an encapsulant is placed over the chip and the adjacent flexible board to seal and protect the chip and other components.
Unfortunately, current methods for encapsulating silicon chips have led to various problems, including cracking between the encapsulation material and the integrated circuit components, as well as high failure rates due to the multi-step nature of the process. Cracking has plagued the industry because of differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion of the different components, for example, between the soldering materials at the different interfaces and between metallic and non-metallic components. Cracking is also frequent between the silicon wafer and the encapsulation materials, usually epoxies, due to the extreme variations in temperature in various environments and between periods of operation and non-operation.
Even if the encapsulated silicon chip is successfully assembled into a working integrated circuit, another problem is commonly encountered. Once the silicon chip is encapsulated it is typically surface mounted using radiant heat or vapor saturated heating. This process, however, can lead to poor coplanarity due to uneven reflow, leading to integrated circuit failure.
Therefore, a need has arisen for an integrated circuit package and a process for producing an integrated circuit package wherein a single material may be used to adhere the chip to the flexible board and protect the chip during subsequent manufacturing and testing steps as well as from the environment of its intended purpose. A need has also arisen for a smaller, more versatile integrated circuit package made from materials and by methods that lead to increased yield by more closely matching the coefficient of thermal expansion of the materials used in the package.